IN a historic vote in the Assembly last week, members overwhelmingly passed by 46 votes to 25 a motion calling on the Irish government to implement the recommendation of the 2013 Constitutional Convention on the Constitution to extend “the right to vote in elections for President of Ireland to all Irish citizens on the island of Ireland.”
The reality of course is that successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments have deliberately refused to implement this recommendation despite having 12 years to do so. The right of Irish citizens to vote in Presidential elections has been a constant campaign issue for Sinn Féin and many others since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Article 2 of Bunreacht na hÉireann states: “It is the entitlement and birthright of every person born in the island of Ireland... to be part of the Irish nation. That is also the entitlement of all persons otherwise qualified in accordance with law to be citizens of Ireland.”
Last week’s remarkable Assembly debate and vote is a reflection of the changing political landscape in the North. Leas Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill has written to An Taoiseach Micheál Martin urging him to “make the extension of Irish Presidential voting rights to Irish citizens in the North a priority for his government”.
There is time to do so before the next election later this year.
Tánaiste 'supportive' of extending presidential voting rights to Northhttps://t.co/cN4yzWDKTa
— Andersonstown News (@ATownNews) May 12, 2025
We are only after a wonderful weekend of Gaelic games. Well done to Donegal and to Louth. Armagh are the current All Ireland champions. No All Ireland champion on that All Ireland winning team can vote for the President. I remember well recent all-Ireland senior football championships between teams from the North. Most memorably Armagh and Tyrone. None of them could vote for the President who presented them with the Sam Maguire trophy. In the case of President Mary McAleese, she could not have voted for herself if she had stayed in the North.
Its long past the time for a change and for the Government to act on its promise to hold a referendum.
Donnacha
I remember very well the time Anne Rynne told me Donnacha had multiple sclerosis. It must have been about thirty years ago. Or thereabouts. Donnacha was in his mid-twenties. Although she was scared, Anne was very brave about this traumatic development in the life of her son. Donnacha was even braver. They are like that, this mother and son who have faced adversity for every minute since first they came into each other’s lives.
Donnacha is one of twin boys. Niall and he are the second born of Davoc and Anne’s family. There is Áine and there is Turlough. Davóg is the oldest. Donnacha’s story is incomplete without them. Especially his amazing parents. And they would be incomplete without Donnacha. He is the touchstone in the lives of his family. And in the lives of many others including this column. He is a huge inspiration for me.
A LIFE WELL LIVED: Donnacha made the most of his life despite the challenges he faced
So who is Donnacha?
Donnacha Rynne was born six weeks prematurely. He had cerebral palsy. Anne and Davoc were told he would never walk. Life for him could not be the same as other boys. Not the same as his twin brother Niall. No school. No boyish experiences. And eventually... an institution.
Anne and Davoc decided this was not their way. Their son would be reared same as any other child. And he was. In the early days in Kildare, later on the west coast of Clare. He went to school and later to work. For a time, he flew the nest and moved back to Kildare to live with his aunt. His mother taught him life skills in Galway. Then back to Clare.
That’s when I first met Donnacha. In the hostel at Spanish Point.
Our Gearóid and I were camping our way around Ireland. Donnacha was working away at peeling and washing spuds, greeting guests and telling yarns. He was great craic and we hit it off from the get-go.
Before long he was in Belfast, up for the Féile. In those days Donnacha didn’t need the wheelchair, or at least he didn’t bring it to Béal Feirste. He was out and about smoozing his way from gig to gig, looking for a girl and to his annoyance being chaperoned by Minnie Mo who shooed all promising females away. He appeared on Féile Radio and promoted disability rights. He camped in our back room, ate us out of house and home, laughed a lot and charmed big Eamon and especially Colette with his take on life, love, lust and the importance of being.
By the time Gearóid and Roísín got married, Donnacha was wheelchair-bound. But that didn’t stop him bopping it up with the rest of us. By now Donnacha was living independently in a house of his own in Miltown Malbay and he and I would get together occasionally for coffee as I wandered through the land. Increasingly dependent on carers for everyday necessities, yoga, music and friendship uplifted him.
Donnacha died last week. I had planned to visit him in July. Unfortunately, that will not be. I sat down to write a tribute to him but his Mammy – Anne Rynne – has given me permission to print the one she wrote, so I will offer that to you instead.
Donnacha loved West Belfast. And West Clare.
He loved life. He lived in the nowness. Donnacha remains an inspiration.
Donnacha
As your life ebbs away from us
I remember your wisdom
I remember your patience
I remember your acceptance
I remember your joy at every beat of your heart
Oh son of mine
My teacher
My little funny boy who “hated all the stupid questions” he was asked by the people in white coats who made him cry
And who laughed when I said let's not bother going again to the White Coats
My beautiful good looking young man
Who never in his life said why me
Who never ever complained
Who always had a smile and a thank you
Who taught us how to live good lives
He struggled in school
He stretched in his yoga
He battled with his DISABLED PEOPLE OF CLARE comrades for “nothing about us without us”
He went to Belfast to walk the line for Justice
He rolled a rock from the Burren to Dublin for Mullaghmore
He insisted on being his own man and fought with MaryJo for his own home
He shared his home with the best team in Ireland
His Dream Team of Ali Aine Mary Fiona Chris Gerry
He was cared for by the mighty Dr Billy for many years and now by Dr Dymphna and her colleagues in the Medical Centre and by Veronica and her colleagues in West Clare Pharmacy
He smoked two joints every day when he was able – rolled by his Ma. Sssshhhhhhhh!
He loved a pint of the black stuff when he was able for it
He rolled down the centre of Main Street in his wheelchair with his beloved dog Quinte by his side, waving at all and sundry oblivious to the fact that a line of cars was waiting for him to go where he wanted to go
He ended up in a ditch on the bog road with the wheelchair on top of him and frightened the life out of a walker passing by with his shouts for HELP!
He loved his home in Church Road, his neighbours and everyone in Miltown Malbay
He loved D’UnBelieveables, Father Ted, the Goons, the craic, the uncles.
He loved the postcards from Little John and Gerry A as they travelled the world and told him all about it
He was so delighted when Barry suggested – Dons, you have a book in you - and after years of being recorded by Tom P his book BEING DONNACHA was published
"My contribution to the world, Ma”
Oh yes, and much, much more sonshine
He showed us all and held us all together
This Mystical Man
This old man in the young boy who told us stories beyond his years
This young lad wanting to be an ordinary man
This man who wrote poetry and sang songs
This man who yearned for love and for sex
This man whose life is beyond our ken
This man who carries his life with grace with dignity with gratitude
The nephew to Catherine to Brigid and Eugene to Andrew A'nD Joan and Ramona
Christy and Val to Eilish and Peter to Andy and Sandra to Terry and to Barry
The cousin to Bríd Óg and all the cousins
The brother in law to Sophie, Maisie, Mary and Alan
The uncle to Amelia, Leane, Oscar, Alice and Robin
The brother to his twin Niall to Davóg and to Turlough
The brother to his darling sister Áine
The son to his crumbly old Mam and Dad – Anne and Davoc.
The man who is and always will be Donnacha.
